SEXUAL HARASSMENT

The media has sensationalized Sexual Harassment. Your employees have paid attention.

Monica Lewinski
Clarence Thomas
Paula Jones

Will your company be the next defendant in a highly publicized sexual harassment claim?

Perception is Key . . .
Often at the core of Sexual Harassment (obvious or not) is the disparity in perception. What may be construed as Sexual Harassment by one, may not offend another. The question should not be “Does this behavior offend me?” but rather, “Is it possible that this conduct will offend a coworker, particularly of the opposite sex?”

Employer’s Responsibility . . .
The court decisions are clear: Employers who know about sexual
harassment and do nothing are responsible; employers that should
have known about sexual harassment and do nothing are also
responsible. The law generally puts the responsibility for the acts of
an employee onto the employer. This is a legal doctrine called
respondent superior.

Sexual harassment affects the victim’s emotional and physical health, as well as the strength of the company.

“Quid Pro Quo”
Translated to “Something for Something.” Usually involves supervisors who use threats (demotions, firing, etc.) if a person does not accept sexual advances.

Example:
A male office manager offers to give a good job evaluation to a female service representative if she accepts his request for a date.

“Hostile Environment”
Repeated actions, comments, or objects that “unreasonably interfere” with work performance or that create an “intimidating, hostile, or offensive” work environment.

Example:
A male file clerk is repeatedly embarrassed by comments and jokes he overhears about sexual behavior during coffee breaks.

Protection Through Prevention
Everyone loses when sexual harassment occurs. It lowers morale and affects productivity. The best protection from a sexual harassment claim is to prevent it from happening in your workplace. More importantly, train your staff so that they know that everyone shares the responsibility for stopping workplace harassment before it starts. Effective training is the key to a Effective training is the key to a healthy and happy workplace.

Six steps to Successful Sexual Harassment Management

1. Strongly Written Harassment Policy
2. Sensitivity Training for all Employees
3. Awareness/Identification Training for Supervisors and Managers
4. Prompt and Thorough Investigations
5. Appropriate Actions/Responses
6. A Formal Process for Employee Reporting of Incidents

COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT & POLICY REVIEW: A thorough dissection of your current company policies to determine and analyze how effective your company procedures are in regards to sexual harassment in the workplace.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT: Provides a written report outlining areas that need to be addressed. This identifies and accurately measures your company's problem areas and includes a suggested plan of action.

INVESTIGATION & DISCIPLINE ANALYSIS: Examines your current administrative process for investigating charges and documenting all employee discipline throughout the work cycle. Forms will be provided in an administrative kit to serve as permanent record of procedures.

IMPLEMENTATION & TRAINING: The “How To” on integrating successful
employment practices into your company’s daily operations. A completion timeline will be established that is suitable to your individual schedule and priorities. This will clearly assign responsibilities to participants, establish training due dates, and demonstrate how involved we will be in the process.

MONITORING AND FOLLOW UP: We will continue to assist you in maintaining compliance with periodic reviews and informative updates.

Compliance Check is a Registered Trademark of DRB Ventures, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Call your Spetner Associates, Inc. Specialist to help YOU be Compliant in the area of Sexual Harassment.
314-442-0000
Fax 314-442-0050
8630 Delmar Blvd., Suite 100
St. Louis, MO 63124

Spetner Associates, Inc.